Chad removal means

ABSTRACT

Paper chad and fuzz removal means for a rotary punch wheel associated with a complementary rotary female die wheel, the female die wheel having an open annular discharge slot in one side thereof communicating with its punch bores, a stationary chad collector ring or manifold having an open annular slot in one side thereof in registry with the annular slot in the female die wheel to form a joint chamber therewith for receiving chad, and a source of vacuum communicating with the joint chamber for removing chad from the joint chamber.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Farrell L. Sickel 702 S. Clay 81.,Green Bay, Wis. 54301 {21] Appl. No. 856,233 [22] Filed Aug. 6, 1969[45] Patented Aug. 31, 1971 [54] CHAD REMOVAL MEANS 4 Claims, 4 DrawingFigs.

[52] U.S. Cl 83/100, 83/345, 83/670 [51] lnt.CI 826d 7/18 [50] Field ofSearch 83/100, 345, 670

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,106,859 10/1963 Huffman83/670X 3,175,443 3/1965 Kettnich et a1. 1. 83/100 3,194,095 7/1965 Bucket a1 83/100 3,334,533 8/1967 DavisJr 83/100 Primary Examiner-James M.Mcister Altorney-Stanley E. Binish ABSTRACT: Paper chad and fuzz removalmeans for a rotary punch wheel associated with a complementary rotaryfemale die wheel, the female die wheel having an open annular dischargeslot in one side thereof communicating with its punch bores, astationary chad collector ring or manifold having an open annular slotin one side thereofin registry with the annular slot in the female diewheel to form a joint chamber therewith for receiving chad, and a sourceof vacuum communicating with the joint chamber for removing chad fromthe joint chamber.

1 by gravity into pans is not the answer. The chad becomes a nuisancebecause they tend to fly about in the room space, at-

tach themselves to the clothes of the operator, and sometimes accumulateon the moving parts of the machine in sufficient quantities to block themachine. In addition, fibrous particles or paper dust, such as fuzz,resulting from the punching operation, pollutes the air in the immediateareafiof the operation, to the detriment of the operator and themachine.

Some of the recently produced chad removal means, embodying vacualmeans, are designed for special applications, such as for reciprocableperforators, and are not adaptable to the vast number of rotaryperforators being presently used.

An object of this invention is the provision of a new and improvedvacual chad removal apparatus especially adapted for use withrotary-type perforator means.

Another object is to provide a vacual chad removal system for rotaryperforator apparatus which is simple, economical to construct, andefficient in operation.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of chad removalmeans for rotary perforator apparatus that is universally applicable andattachable to most rotary printing presses, new or presently in use.

Other specific features and many of the attendant ad vantages of thisinvention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which likereference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereofand wherein:

F IG. 1 is a front elevation view of an assembled unit of the presentinvention comprising a pair of spaced rotary punch means supported in aframework, and showing the associated chad removal apparatus associatedtherewith including vacuum means for removing the chad and conveying thechad to a collection container;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view, partly cut away, of one of therotary perforators comprising a male punch wheel and female dietherefor, and showing the stationary chad collector ring or manifoldassociated with the rotary female die;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the female die and associatedstationary chad collector ring or manifold shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of FIG. 3, showing the main parts thereof inaxially isolated relation.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designatelike or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shownin FIG. 1 a preferred assembled rotary perforator unit or attachment,generally indicated at 9, for use with a form-printing machine forperforating business forms issuing therefrom, said forms beingperforated along the longitudinal edges thereof, or elsewhere ifdesired. The perforator unit includes a supporting framework, generallyindicated at 12, in which a pair of parallel shafts 11 and are journaledin spaced vertical relation.

A pair of rotary perforator means, generally indicated at 13 and 14, aremounted on said shafts 11 and 10, in the usual manner, in spacedhorizontal relation, for perforating the forms along the longitudinaledges thereof.

When the assembled perforator unit is installed on a machine, such as aform-printing machine, not shown, the drive gear 15 for the unit isdriven by conventional power takeoff means from the printing machine,not shown, in suitable timed relation. Drive power from upper shaft 10is transmitted to lower shaft 11 through engaged spur gears 16 and 17,respectively, fixed on said shafts to rotate therewith.

In view of the fact that the pair of perforator means 13 and 14 areidentical in structure, description of only one perforator means 14 willsuffice and properly describe the other.

Perforator means 14 comprises a male punch wheel, generally indicated at18, see FIG. 2, fixed on upper shaft 10 to rotate therewith, and anassociated female die wheel generally indicated at 19 fixed on lowerparallel shaft 11 to rotate therewith.

The chad removal means includes a stationary chad collector ringassociated with the female die wheel 19 as hereinafter described.

The stationary chad collector ring or manifold, generally indicated at21, see FIG. 2, is journaled. on a rotatable sleeve bearing, generallyindicated at 22, which in turn is fixed on shaft 11 to rotate therewith.The stationary chad collector ring 21 is disposed against and isslidably engaged with the confronting side of the rotatable female die19 for reasons hereinafter described.

As usual, the rim or periphery of the punch wheel 18 is provided with aseries of cylindrical punch studs or punches 23, equallycircumferentially spaced, and extending radially from the wheel. Thepunches are received in bores in said wheel and fixed therein as bysetscrews 24.

Likewise, the rim or peripheral portion of the female die wheel isprovided with a series of radial apertures or punch bores 25 to receivethe associated punches 23 in the usual cooperable manner.

One side of the female die wheel has: a radially planar face which isprovided with an annular discharge slot or recess, open on said side, asindicated at 26. Said slot is extended to undercut the punch bores 25,to communicate therewith, to receive punched chad exiting or dischargingfrom such punch bores, such as chad 27 departing from vertical punchbore 23, see the cutaway portion of FIG. 2.

The female die wheel is split diametrically and held together by boltssuch as indicated at 29.

The chad collector ring or manifold 21, which is held sta tionary ashereinafter described, is supported or journaled on flanged sleevebearing 22 mounted on shaft 11, and is disposed in a cover or overlayingrelation with the slotted side of rotary female die wheel 19, in slidingengagement therewith, and in sliding engagement with said rotatablesleeve bearing 22. The chad collector ring is preferably made of Nylonmaterial, however, the invention is not limited to such material.

The chad collector ring 21 is provided with an annular open inlet slot31, confronting the slot 26 in the female wheel die, and communicatingand cooperating therewith to form and define an enclosed, enlarged,joint chamber 32, for receiving the chad and to otherwise contain avacual airstream created by a vacuum pump employed to convey the chadfrom such chamber to a waste container, as hereinafter described.

The flange 33 on the rearward portion of the sleeve bearing 22 abuts thechad collector ring 21 and maintains it operatively disposed against thefemale die wheel, said arrangement being held operatively assembled bymeans of set screw 35 engaged with shaft 11, preferably to the key insaid shaft as hereinafter described. Said sleeve bearing is splitdiametrically and held together by bolts such as indicated at 34. Thesleeve bearing 22, embracing said shaft 11, amounts to an enlargement ofsaid shaft, and is adapted for slidable adjustment along said shaft ashereinafter described. In the absence of the necessity for suchadjustment, the sleeve bearing may be omitted and the collector manifoldmay be journaled or supported directly on said shaft 11.

The chad collector ring is provided with a radial outlet bore 36commencing at its rim and terminating at and communicating with theannular slot 31 in chad collector ring 21. Said bore is provided with aprojecting nipple 37 to which one end of a flexible conduit or tube 38isattached.

The other end of tube 38 is connected to the inlet of air moving meanssuch as a motor-driven vacuum pump 39; and a second flexible tube 41 hasone end connected to the outlet of said vacuum pump 39 and the other endfixed in communication with the interior of a stationary collection ordisposal container 42 located at any point away from the machine.

An aperture or screened vent 42' is provided in the top of container 42to allow for the escape of air from the disposal container.

The chad collector ring is further provided with air inlet means, suchas a plurality of air inlet holes or apertures indicated at 36', in theoutboard side of the collector ring and communicating with annular slot31 in said collector ring. The purpose of said air inlet ports 36' is toprovide passage means for ambient air for the airstream created by thevacuum pump 39 as hereinafier described. Said ports are disposeddiametrically opposite the manifold outlet bore 36, or substantially 180from said bore 36, to most efficiently scavenge and remove the chad fromthe annular slot 26 in the female die wheel 19. Said air inlet apertures36' are provided because the punch bores 25 tend to become clogged withchad and cannot be relied upon to provide passageway means for thepassage of ambient scavenging air therethrough. The chad collector ringis split diametrically and held together by bolts such as indicated at40.

Spline or feather key means, such as indicated at 43 are provided topermit relative longitudinal movement and adjustment of the female diewheel 19 and the sleeve bearing 22 along the shafi ll, and to key sameto shaft 11.

Key means such as indicated at 44 are provided to permit longitudinalmovement of male punch wheel 18 along shaft for adjustment, and to keysame to shaft 10.

Both said female die wheel and said punch wheel are provided withsetscrew means (not shown) to fix such wheels to their associatedshafts, preferably engaging the keys in said shafts.

In lieu of the above-described separate assembly unit 9, the rotaryperforator means and chad removal means may be applied directly to aprinting machine, that is, since most of the presently used and producedprinting machines are provided with built-in rotary perforator means,said rotary perforator and chad removal means may be considered to bemounted on said shafts 11 and 10 which would form a part of suchmachines.

OPERATION Assuming a rotary printing machine for printing businessforms, or the like is desired to be provided with a rotary perforatorunit and an associated chad removal means for perforating thelongitudinal edges of said forms and for conveying t" had to a suitablecontainer.

The perforator unit 9, as a whole, can be mounted on said printingmachine, at the discharge end thereof, to receive said unpunched formsand perforate them, said perforator unit being driven by the printingmachine in timed relation thereto, hereinbefore described; or in lieuthereof, the printing machine may be provided with a built-in rotaryperforator means and vacual chad remover means as hereinbeforedescribed.

The perforator rneans, along with their associated chad removal means,are horizontally spaced and adjusted to receive said forms therebetweenand punch the longitudinal edges thereof.

As the unpunched forms are fed to the perforator means, such as betweenthe male punch wheel 18 and the complementary female die wheel 19, thestuds or punches 23 perforate the intervening forms, and the resultingchad is forced by said punches and gravity through the female punchbores and into the underlying annular slot 26 or common joint chamber32, to be picked up, airborne, by vacuum means hereinafter described.

The vacuum pump 39 produces a low-pressure zone within its housing, alsoin the attached tube 38, in the common joint chamber 32, and in the airinlet holes 36'. Ambient air rushes into and through the air inlet holes36' and into the common joint chamber 32 wherein the chad is beingdeposited. Said stream of air picks up such chad and carries it airbornethrough attached tube 38, and into the vacuum pump housing from which itis driven through discharge tube 41 and thence into stationary disposalcontainer 42 at a remote position.

Some characteristics features of this invention are the provision of achad removal system, for rotary-type perforator means, including astationary chad collector ring or manifold; and the provision of aunitary rotary perforator means and vacual chad removal means thereforthat is universally applicable and attachable to most rotary printingpresses.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood, that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. In a rotary-type perforator apparatus having a rotary punch wheelwith punch studs projecting from the periphery thereof, and anassociated rotary female die wheel having punch bores in the peripheralportion thereof to receive said punch studs, operative to perforate apaper sheet apd as. a result produce chad as a byproduct of a punchingoperation, said female die wheel being mounted on a shaft to rotatetherewith, and said female die wheel having a radially planar face onside of said female die wheel, and a first annular slot in said side,said annular slot extending to and communicating with said punch boresto receive chad discharged from said punch bores, the improvementcomprising,

1. a chad collector ring having a. a radially planar face on a sidethereof,

b. a second annular slot in said side of said collector ring adapted toreceive chad therein,

c. a discharge bore extending from said second annular slot and througha remaining exterior side of said col lector ring and adapted to receiveand discharge chad therethrough, and 3 d. air inlet means disposeddiametrically opposite said bore communicating with said second annularslot.

2. said chad collector ring being journaled on said shaft, and a. havingits planar face disposed in sliding engagement with the planar face ofsaid female die wheel, and

b. said first and second annular slots being disposed in confrontingrelation and in communication with each other to receive chad one fromthe other,

3. container means for collecting chad, 1

. tube means having one end connected to said discharge bore in saidchad collector ring and the other end disposed for discharge into saidcontainer,

5. and a vacuum pump operatively connected in said tube means forgenerating a low air pressure and a resulting rush of air in said airinlet means, in said first annular slot of said female die wheel and insaid annular slot in said chad collector ring, in said discharge bore inthe chad collector ring, and in said tube means, for conveying chadtherethrough for discharge into said container means, and

6. means for holding said annular manifold means stationary. bearingsaid journaled,

2. The apparatus of claim 1 and a sleeve bearing interposed between saidshaft and said chad collector ring on which bearing said collector ringis journaled,

a. said sleeve bearing having means for fixing said sleeve bearing tosaid shaft; and i -b. said sleeve bearing having a flange slidablyengaged with the outboard side of said collector ring to maintain theplanar face of said female die wheel and the planar face of saidcollector ring in sliding engagement.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the female die wheel,

the chad collector ring, and the sleeve bearing are split.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 and feather key means between said shaft andsaid female die wheel and said sleeve bearing adapted to permitlongitudinal adjustment of said die wheel and said bearing relative tosaid shaft.

1. In a rotary-type perforator apparatus having a rotary punch wheelwith punch studs projecting from the periphery thereof, and anassociated rotary female die wheel having punch bores in the peripheralportion thereof to receive said punch studs, operative to perforate apaper sheet and as a result produce chad as a byproduct of a punchingoperation, said female die wheel being mounted on a shaft to rotatetherewith, and said female die wheel having a radially planar face onside of said female die wheel, and a first annular slot in said side,said annular slot extending to and communicating with said punch boresto receive chad discharged from said punch bores, the improvementcomprising,
 1. a chad collector ring having a. a radially planar face ona side thereof, b. a second annular slot in said side of said collectorring adapted to receive chad therein, c. a discharge bore extending fromsaid second annular slot and through a remaining exterior side of saidcollector ring and adapted to receive and discharge chad therethrough,and d. air inlet means disposed diametrically opposite said borecommunicating with said second annular slot.
 2. said chad collector ringbeing journaled on said shaft, and a. having its planar face disposed insliding engagement with the planar face of said female die wheel, and b.said first and second annular slots being disposed in confrontingrelation and in communication with each other to receive chad one fromthe other,
 3. container means for collecting chad,
 4. tube means havingone end connected to said discharge bore in said chad collector ring andthe other end disposed for discharge into said container,
 5. and avacuum pump operatively conNected in said tube means for generating alow air pressure and a resulting rush of air in said air inlet means, insaid first annular slot of said female die wheel and in said annularslot in said chad collector ring, in said discharge bore in the chadcollector ring, and in said tube means, for conveying chad therethroughfor discharge into said container means, and
 6. means for holding saidannular manifold means stationary. bearing said journaled,
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1 and a sleeve bearing interposed between said shaftand said chad collector ring on which bearing said collector ring isjournaled, a. said sleeve bearing having means for fixing said sleevebearing to said shaft; and b. said sleeve bearing having a flangeslidably engaged with the outboard side of said collector ring tomaintain the planar face of said female die wheel and the planar face ofsaid collector ring in sliding engagement.
 2. said chad collector ringbeing journaled on said shaft, and a. having its planar face disposed insliding engagement with the planar face of said female die wheel, and b.said first and second annular slots being disposed in confrontingrelation and in communication with each other to receive chad one fromthe other,
 3. container means for collecting chad,
 3. The apparatus ofclaim 2 wherein the female die wheel, the chad collector ring, and thesleeve bearing are split.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 and feather keymeans between said shaft and said female die wheel and said sleevebearing adapted to permit longitudinal adjustment of said die wheel andsaid bearing relative to said shaft.
 4. tube means having one endconnected to said discharge bore in said chad collector ring and theother end disposed for discharge into said container,
 5. and a vacuumpump operatively conNected in said tube means for generating a low airpressure and a resulting rush of air in said air inlet means, in saidfirst annular slot of said female die wheel and in said annular slot insaid chad collector ring, in said discharge bore in the chad collectorring, and in said tube means, for conveying chad therethrough fordischarge into said container means, and
 6. means for holding saidannular manifold means stationary. bearing said journaled,